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As a potential Chapter Leader, it is imperative that you be registered as a member of AmeriCorps Alums at http://www.americorpsalums.org/. If you're already registered, make sure your contact information is up-to-date.

From the main page of www.americorpsalums.org, click the sub-menu link under Action “Join a Chapter." Choose Alum Home Chapter, scroll down to your state, and look for an existing chapter in your area. If you find one, click the name of the chapter to visit its homepage. If the homepage is developed and a Chapter Leader is identified, contact them directly to find out how you can become involved in chapter activities.

If there's no chapter in your geographic area, or the webpage for your local chapter isn't developed, send an e-mail to wsoenksen@AmeriCorpsAlums.org to express your interest in becoming a chapter leader and request that a homepage be established for your area. Webpage development workshops are available to help you get started on your chapter homepage and the online calendar of events.

Review the Roles & Responsibilities of a Chapter Leader, to help you set some attainable goals for your first six months of chapter development.

Send an e-mail to wsoenksen@AmeriCorpsAlums.org to request the link to the online Chapter Start-Up Toolkit, which is loaded with sample documents, creative event ideas, and best practices.

Research the potential service and volunteering partners in your geographic area. These include:

Your State Service Commission (visit http://www.asc-online.org/, and click on the “Service Commission Information” link for a list organized by region.)

Local AmeriCorps programs

Plan and host an informational meeting or two to bring local AmeriCorps alumni together. Informal gatherings at coffeehouses or donated meeting room spaces are an inexpensive way to do this. Consider using the AmeriCorps Alums Overview PowerPoint Presentation as a starting point for your meeting.

Work with chapter members and service partners to plan and carry out at least one service or networking event within the first six months of your initial gathering. Be sure to promote your event on http://www.americorpsalums.org/.

This checklist is just the tip of the iceberg for Chapter Leaders and Chapters! We have many more resources and next steps… please contact Whitney Soenksen at wsoenksen@americorpsalums.org or 202-729-8186 to register your chapter and get other great Chapter tools!

AmeriCorps Alums is about building a national network of alumni civic leaders who help bring about transformative change to our most critical social issues. We believe national service is an effective strategy to address these issues and support grassroots lobbying at the local, state and federal level in support of AmeriCorps and national service.

Given the Obama administration's level of interest in national service and with the national service legislation as an issue being addressed in the 111th Congress, AmeriCorps Alums policy efforts have become even more important.

That is where you come in. We are building a network of AmeriCorps Alums Policy Liaisons willing to serve as points of contact and grassroots service leaders within each Congressional district – what a powerful force for change we will be!

As a Policy Liaison, you would be asked to represent AmeriCorps Alums in your Congressional District, spending about 1-2 hours per week (4-8 hours per month) on building relationships and relaying pertinent national service policy information between alums in your District, your Member of Congress and AmeriCorps Alums. The following is a list of your responsibilities and the resources you will receive as a Policy Liaison:

Duties:

The Liaison position representing each Congressional District will receive quarterly email alerts from the national office about AmeriCorps-related policy, which they use to take action in their home district.

Disseminate information to alumni in your Congressional District, asking them to contact members of Congress.

Contact members of Congress with specific messages.

Build/foster relationships with local legislative staff.

Relay pertinent information about legislators' positions on national service issues back to the AmeriCorps Alums national staff.

Opportunity to engage in or lead special initiatives, such as the 1st Annual National Service “Day of Action” on September 27, 2008.

Opportunity to attend annual National Conference on Volunteering and Service (June 22-24, 2009, San Francisco).

Connection to diverse, unique group of Policy Liaisons across country all working toward advancing national service.

We hope this volunteer position would be both rewarding for you and valuable to our organization without being a significant time commitment. Let us know if you are willing to serve in this capacity by contacting Greg Heinrich at gheinrich@handsonnetwork.org.

AmeriCorps Alums is looking for dedicated, innovative, energetic self-starters to serve on the Leadership Council. The role of the council includes advisory functions in programming, finance, membership, marketing, and policy efforts.

AmeriCorps Alums

Why Apply?

AmeriCorps Alums represents the 550,000 alumni of AmeriCorps National Service, who together constitute a powerful force for change in this country. AmeriCorps Alums helps alumni continue to “get things done” by connecting alumni, advancing our commitment to service, supporting and advocating for AmeriCorps programs and building the capacity of alumni to be agents of change in their communities.

Shape the future of national service.

Engage AmeriCorps members and alumni in on-going civic engagement.

Get involved on a national level.

Build valuable personal and professional networks.

APPLY

Apply on-line at:

The application window to be considered for the 09-10 Leadership Council is not currently open. Please stay tuned.